I’ve met so many people in my life that it becomes difficult (especially these days) to remember everybody, so when the owner of the place greeted me at the door with a huge smile, handshake, gangsta-hug, and “hey man, how have you been?” greeting, I was SURE I knew him. I spent the next few hours at the bar, looking back at him, and trying to figure out it. After all, if I did know him it would be embarrassing to ask one of his employees who he was. I never figured it out.

I’ve driven past the place a dozen or so times during the past year, and I always think about “that guy at the door.”

The other night, I decided to take my wife out for dinner and was in the mood for a nice 20-oz ribeye (which I remembered from that Black Angus menu). From the parking lot, I started wondering about “that guy” again, and when we opened the door . . . there he was. Standing in the exact same spot, smiling, offering the friendly handshake and the same “hey man, how have you been?” greeting – this time to both me and my wife!

My conclusion is that I never actually knew the owner, Tommy Barbarie, (great name) but that he possesses that amazing talent for making people feel welcome. To think that he may have greeted every single customer that way, every night for over a year, is nuts. But THAT is what exemplifies an Appreciation Marketing champion!

Forget the fact that the dinner that night was other worldly; I’m just anxious to go back there to shake hands with the owner!

Whether you’re a restaurant owner, a Realtor, an insurance salesman, a doctor, a dentist, or a toll booth attendant. Your business is destined for success if you create an atmosphere like they do at Black Angus Grill.

Obviously you care, but perception is reality.

There are a lot of ways to show you care. The challenging part is slowing down for a few minutes each day to focus on what has proven to be one of the most powerful forms of marketing (showing gratitude), and that is Appreciation Marketing®.

Personal experiences in both my business and personal life have driven me to slow down each day and focus on the one thing really matters in life: relationships.

Joy, happiness and prosperity always lived in the future for me and I had a difficult time bringing them to the present moment. I never felt a sense of fulfillment and it affected all areas of my life

The reality is that we can have it all NOW. There’s a two-part formula, and you can’t expect a positive result without blending the both of them.

The two things we can control are 1) our thoughts and 2) our efforts. Being conscious of the NOW and giving the gift of the present moment requires effort. How are you doing in the area of showing that you care? The marketplace votes with its wallet and spouses vote with their hearts.

The little things add up. The next time you’re speaking to someone in person, refrain from glancing at your phone or looking over his or her shoulder. Remember the last time someone did that to you? It makes you feel insignificant and suggests that they don’t care, doesn’t it?

It’s human nature for us to be drawn to acceptance. When someone appreciates us, we give more attention in that direction. This is true in both our business and our personal lives. It’s easy to point fingers and place blame on what looks to be the issue on the surface. The root of the issue could be that you aren’t showing that you truly do care.

When you show people you care, and you do it in a way that makes an impact, it makes you stand out and be remembered. Whether it’s your spouse, children, customers, or employees, be conscious of how you are (or aren’t) showing them you care. It can be as simple as looking him/her in the eyes and just being in the moment and actually listening when having a conversation.

As you launch into a new year, I’m sure you have big goals and are looking to move fast. I want to personally challenge you to make a New Year’s resolution: slow down in order to speed up.

Slow down a bit, and focus more on what feeds your company (your customers), focus on your employed community (those who allow your vision to be a reality), and focus more on your family (the reason why you do what you do).

Remember, the best investment we can make is in relationships, because relationships are the real currency in life.

Curtis Lewsey is founder of AMcards.com and co-author of Appreciation Marketing®: How to Achieve Greatness Through Gratitude. missiondreambig.com

We self-published at first, and never spent any money, time, or energy on a marketing campaign.

We knew the ideas behind the book were legit, and we’d gotten such amazing feedback from the people we shared them with that we quickly realized we had something special.

The brand is still going strong four-plus years later. We’ve sold thousands of books in multiple countries around the world and are still being overwhelmed with wonderful feedback.

Back in the winter of 08′, we came up with a catchy title in “Appreciation Marketing.” When we Googled it, that day, we found ZERO matches. Today (as of September 2014) there are 43.2 million!

While much of AM’s content consists of common sense, none of it is common practice. People who have read our book have told us that their lives were changing while they were reading it! There’s no better compliment than that.

But the best responses have come during our live seminars. Even the tightest and most conservative audiences quickly open up and engage.
They laugh, they nod, and they applaud. Again, thanking us profusely for brightening their day and enhancing their lives (both personally and professionally). Virtually everyone leaves with at least one gold nugget that they’ll never forget!

So, finally, we’re ready to spend a little time promoting the Appreciation Marketing® brand! Oh, we’ve got LOTS more stories now!

Introducing The AM Blog! In the footsteps of our favorite blogger, Seth Godin, we’re going to keep it short and sweet and feed it to you in bite-sized pieces. We’re going o do our best to enlighten and entertain you with real-life examples of Appreciation Marketing® in action!

Please subscribe if you’d like to receive short weekly tips, tricks, and tales of Appreciation and Gratitude. We’re confident in making you the bold promise that these principles will quickly make a positive impact on your life and your business . . . no matter what you do!

We Appreciate you!

Tommy & Curtis